YCSWA Wants to Hear from You!

YCSWA recently posted a survey link on www.ycswa.com and on billboards throughout York County asking residents to “Talk Trash to Us”. The survey, located at www.TalkTrashToUs.com is an effort from the YCSWA to gain knowledge about how those who live and work in York County perceive the YCSWA and what they would like to see in trash management in the future.

Yard Waste Disposal

Are you wondering what you should do with your yard waste as we are in full swing in the season of raking leaves? Let me give you some tips.

Most municipalities offer yard waste pick-up at your curb which makes yard waste disposal very easy. Contact your municipality or waste hauler directly to find out what services are available to you. If yard waste services are not available to you, no worries. There are other options to help you.

If you simply have leaves and grass, you can use a mulching mower to mulch them. Your back will thank you and the clippings on the lawn will help prevent weeds from germinating. Another option for disposal of grass and leaves is to place them in your garden beds and around trees and shrubs to prevent weed growth. Composting your clippings and leaves is another great way to make use of them. If you are unsure how to do this, do an internet search for “composting”. You will find instructions for different composting methods and a list of materials needed.

If those options aren’t your cup of tea, you can dispose of vegetation and small branches with your regular garbage or bring your yard waste to the York County Resource Recovery Center (YCRRC). Be sure to visit www.ycswa.com/services/waste-disposal/ for specifics on what can and cannot be accepted at the YCRRC. There are some items that we cannot accept, however our website will direct you to a business that can help you if the YCRRC cannot accommodate your needs.

Rechargeable Batteries Do Not Go into Your Trash or Recycling

If you have a cellphone, you use a rechargeable battery. If you use power tools, you use rechargeable batteries. While convenient during their lifetime, rechargeable batteries require proper disposal when they are no longer usable. Conventional disposal of these types of batteries in your curbside pickup can cause problems! Trash is compacted both in the garbage truck and at our facility. When subjected to intense pressure these batteries combust and ignite causing fires in either garbage trucks or at our facility. Rechargeable batteries should not go into your recycling bin either. Please dispose of them properly! Keep rechargeable batteries out of your curbside trash and recycling bin and dispose of them properly. Visit www.call2recycle.org for a listing of collection sites for these potentially hazardous batteries. NOTE: Household alkaline batteries like Eveready, Duracell (AA, AAA, 9-volt, C, or D sizes) can be disposed in your regular trash.

Visit https://www.ycswa.com/batteries/?hilite=rechargeable+batteries for more information on rechargeable battery disposal.

New E-cycling Locations for York County Residents

York County Now Has New Electronics Recycling Locations!

Reworld and Goodwill Keystone Area have joined forces to provide free electronic waste recycling locations in central and southeastern Pennsylvania. This program utilizes Goodwill’s network of stores and donation centers as designated collection points for residential electronics. Reworld then takes the electronics and responsibly recycles them. Reworld is a proven provider of e-waste recycling, recovery and environmentally responsible disposal, having recycled more than 135 million pounds of e-waste. York County residents can take advantage of this service at the following Goodwill locations:

• • 965 Loucks Road, York

• • 1120 Roosevelt Ave, York

• • 450 Eisenhower Drive, Hanover

• • 535 S. Main Street Market Square Center, Shrewsbury

Free electronics recycling is also available at the York County Resource Recovery Center, as well as Fairfield Township and Penn Township Recycling Centers. For additional information, visit www.ycswa.com/services/recycling/electronics/ .

Tours and Programs

Did you know that YCSWA offers FREE tours and programs? It’s true! If you are looking for a fun, educational activity to do with your family, classroom or civic group, read on to learn more details about the tours and programs we offer.

YCSWA staff offer tours of the York County Resource Recovery Center (YCRRC). Here, all of York County’s municipal trash that is combustible is turned into electricity. The trash you take to the curb each week is delivered to this facility. It is dropped into a combustion barrel and burned. As the trash burns, it heats up water to create steam. That steam travels to a turbine which is connected to a metal rod. The rotational energy of the rod is turned into electricity and can be used to power 20,000 homes at any given time of day. Fascinated by the process? Visit www.ycswa.com/resources/resources-for-educators/tours/ to learn more.

We also give tours of the Hopewell Area Recreation Complex (HARC). This beautiful area was once a working landfill. The landfill is currently closed and it houses ball fields, playgrounds, a pavilion and walking trails. More than 122 species of birds have been spotted at this site. Birds aren’t the only flying friends you will see at HARC. Monarch butterflies are frequently spotted at certain times of the year. They are attracted to the milkweed that has been planted in the grasslands at HARC.

YCSWA staff offer a variety of programs which can be scheduled in-person or virtually throughout the year. One of the most enjoyed hands-on programs available is Vermicomposting: Worms with an Appetite! This program focuses on how we can recycle food waste with a little help from worms. Each participant makes their very own worm cup bin to take come with them, complete with a few worms. They are taught how some food waste can be added to the cup and it will be eaten by the worms who will then produce a rich material that can be used to help plants grow.

Another program favorite is Recycled Paper Revelations! This program focuses on the importance of being responsible with waste and being mindful about recycling. Participants get to learn about the paper wasp and hear how it creates a paper-like nest. They also learn about how paper has been made for many

years using trees and water. YCSWA staff then talk about the importance of preserving our natural resources and the importance of recycling. Those in attendance will make a recycled piece of paper. For more information, www.ycswa.com/resources/resources-for-educators/programs/ .

It is one of our goals to educate the community on how to responsibly dispose of trash. The tours and programs above are just a few ways we meet that goal. Please feel free to contact us with any waste-related question.

More Information About Trash Disposal or Recycling in York County

More information about York County Solid Waste Authority can be found at www.ycswa.com. For questions or concerns residents can call 717-845-1066.